The present invention relates to a sintering device for sintering workpieces, in particular dental workpieces, in a shielding gas atmosphere, the sintering device having at least one sintering chamber, with at least one gas inlet and at least one gas outlet for gas exchange in a sintering chamber cavity enclosed by the sintering chamber, and at least one sintering material cup, which can be arranged in the sintering chamber cavity and is intended for receiving the workpiece to be sintered.
Sintering devices of the generic type are known for example from WO 2011/020688 A1. They offer the possibility of for example sintering metallic or ceramic workpieces, in particular for the dental sector, in a shielding gas atmosphere, such as for example by using argon. The shielding gas atmosphere serves for preventing oxidation processes on the workpiece during the sintering operation. The shielding gas atmosphere allows the sintering operation to proceed in an oxide-free, or at least oxide-reduced, environment. As a result, discolorations and oxidations of the workpiece, and consequently laborious reworking operations to remove them, are avoided.